User Inferface

Abstract

An apparatus comprising: a first display area; a second display area; and an interface separating the first display area from the second display area; and a display controller configured to move a displayed user interface element to track in real-time a user input point controlled by a user in a first display area and to move the displayed user interface element from the first display area to a second display area automatically when a criteria is satisfied.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a first display area;   a second display area; and   an interface separating the first display area from the second display area; and   a display controller configured to move a displayed user interface element to track in real-time a user input point controlled by a user in a first display area and to move the displayed user interface element from the first display area to a second display area automatically when a criteria is satisfied.   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the criteria is dependent upon a distance of the user interface element from the interface. 
     
     
         3 .- 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the criteria is dependent upon a characteristic of the user interface element. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein there is an apparent travel time across the interface when automatically moving the displayed user interface element from the first display area to the second display area across the interface and wherein the travel time is dependent upon a size of a separation between the first display area and the second display area provided by the interface, and/or a velocity of the displayed user interface element in the first display area and/or a characteristic of the user interface element. 
     
     
         8 .- 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a first direction is defined by a relative displacement between the first display area and the second display area and a second direction is defined as orthogonal to the first direction and in a plane occupied by the first and second display areas, wherein when automatically moving the displayed user interface element from the first display area to the second display area across the interface there is a relative displacement of the user interface element not only in the first direction but also in the second direction. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the displacement in the second direction is dependent upon one or more of: a size of a separation, provided by the interface, between the first display area and the second display area, a velocity of the displayed user interface element in the first display area, a characteristic of the user interface element. 
     
     
         14 .- 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the display controller is configured, when the criteria is satisfied, to automatically move the displayed user interface element: towards the interface in the first display area; from the first display area to the second display area; and away from the interface in the second display area. 
     
     
         26 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein the display controller is configured, when the criteria is satisfied, to automatically move the displayed user interface element towards the interface in the first display area with a speed that increases as a separation distance between the user interface element and the interface decreases. 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 25 , the display controller is configured, when the criteria is satisfied, to automatically move the displayed user interface element from the interface in the second display area with a speed that decreases as a separation distance between the user interface element and the interface increases. 
     
     
         29 .- 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the display controller is configured to move the displayed user interface element towards the interface in the first display area under user control; to automatically move the user interface element from the first display area to the second display area when the criteria is satisfied; and to move the displayed user interface element away from the interface in the second display area under user control. 
     
     
         33 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 32 , wherein a first direction is defined by a relative displacement of the first display area and the second display area and a second direction is defined as orthogonal to the first direction and in a plane occupied by the first and second display areas, wherein when automatically moving the displayed user interface element from the first display area to the second display area across the interface there is a relative displacement of the user interface element in the first direction and the second direction, wherein the relative displacement of the user interface element in the second direction is dependent upon a velocity of the user interface element in the first display area. 
     
     
         34 .- 35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the display controller is configured to move the displayed user interface element towards the interface in the first display area in response to user input; to automatically move the user interface element from the first display area to the second display area when the criteria is satisfied; and to automatically move the displayed user interface element: away from the interface in the second display area. 
     
     
         37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 36 , wherein the display controller is configured to automatically move the displayed user interface element from the interface in the second display area with a speed that decreases as a separation between the user interface element and the interface increases. 
     
     
         39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first display area is configured to provide touch sensitive user input and the second display area is configured to provide touch sensitive user input. 
     
     
         41 . A method comprising:
 moving a displayed user interface element to track in real-time a user input point controlled by a user in a first display area; and   moving the displayed user interface element from the first display area to a second display area automatically when a criteria is satisfied.   
     
     
         42 .- 43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . A method as claimed in  claim 41 , wherein a first direction is defined by a relative displacement of the first display area and the second display area and a second direction is defined as orthogonal to the first direction and in a plane occupied by the first and second display areas, wherein when automatically moving the displayed user interface element from the first display area to the second display area across the interface there is a relative displacement of the user interface element not only in the first direction but also in the second direction. 
     
     
         45 . A method as claimed in  claim 44 , wherein the displacement in the second direction is dependent upon: a size of a separation, provided by the interface, between the first display area and the second display area; and/or a velocity of the displayed user interface element in the first display area; and/or a characteristic of the user interface element. 
     
     
         46 . A method as claimed in  claim 41 , comprising, when the criteria is satisfied, automatically moving the displayed user interface element: towards the interface in the first display area; from the first display area to the second display area; and away from the interface in the second display area. 
     
     
         47 . A method as claimed in  claim 41 , comprising:
 moving the displayed user interface element towards the interface in the first display area under user control;   automatically moving the user interface element from the first display area to the second display area when the criteria is satisfied; and   moving the displayed user interface element away from the interface in the second display area under user control.   
     
     
         48 .- 50 . (canceled) 
     
     
         51 . An apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory including computer program code   the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform:   moving a displayed user interface element to track in real-time a user input point controlled by a user in a first display area;   moving the displayed user interface element from the first display area to a second display area automatically when a criteria is satisfied.   
     
     
         52 . (canceled)